Camp ACL is approaching critical mass for Eagles

Three players already have ruptured ACLs on new turf before team even plays first preseason game.

Wide receiver Arrelious Benn is one of three Eagles to suffer ACL injuries… (Howard Smith-USA TODAY…)

August 07, 2013|By Nick Fierro, Of The Morning Call

PHILADELPHIA — — Think of it this way: Imagine how many more catastrophic injuries the Philadelphia Eagles might have by now if they were actually tackling to the ground in their first training camp under coach Chip Kelly.

Or this way: The coach's conditioning program, heralded by his players as revolutionary, might be too over the top. Maybe it somehow made players like Jeremy Maclin, Jason Phillips and Arrelious Benn more vulnerable to the torn ACL's they suffered very early in camp.

Or this way: Maybe all the non-contact injuries Kelly's players are suffering have something to do with the NovaCare Complex's recently re-sodded turf, which resembles a typical fairway at Merion West or Saucon Valley or some such. (The fields never quite looked this manicured before.)

Or finally this way: It's all just a coincidence.

For now, there's no way to explain an epidemic-like surge of leg injuries that had to make the Eagles feel relieved to have hosted the New England Patriots for joint practices in each of the last two days. At least there were enough bodies to run an August practice the way they'd like.

Here's the latest casualty list: Maclin, Phillips and Benn are presumed out for the season; tackle Jason Peters has been limited to something like two-and-a-half plays so far because of a hamstring injury; Same for tackle Ed Wang. And on Wednesday, running backs LeSean McCoy (knee) and Felix Jones (hamstring), cornerback Cary Williams (hamstring) and wide receivers Russell Shepard (hamstring) and Damaris Johnson (hamstring) were unable to finish practice.

Kelly addressed the ACL injuries on Wednesday.

"We're looking into everything," he said. "Obviously, when you have the same injury and it happens in a two-week span or whatever it is, we're going to look at it and try to figure out, obviously, is it preventable? Is it something that we can make sure doesn't happen?

"But I don't have any information. I know we're looking at it. ... Our doctors and trainers are trying to figure that part out, how the overall scope of everything we do [might have caused them]. But it's something that we certainly are looking at right now."

Kelly has to look at more than just the field condition, because if these injuries keep up at this rate, they might not be able to field a professional team come September.

NO STARTER NAMED

Kelly still has not named a starting quarterback for Friday's preseason opener. And he cautioned not to read too much into in when he does.

"We have to have someone start the game," he said. "But I wouldn't say the guy that starts the game is going to be the starter overall in general as we get going on September 9."

Kelly promised to get Michael Vick and Nick Foles as close to the same number of snaps as possible.

"That's kind of our thought process," he said.

OBSERVATIONS

Rookie Zach Ertz might be having the best camp of any of the tight ends, but don't count Clay Harbor out of the mix either. He has experience, hunger and a rebuilt body that's thicker but leaner and meaner than ever. ... Try not to judge the Eagles cornerbacks on how outclassed they looked against New England these last two days. The talent is there. Remember, the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady pretty much make all secondaries look bad. The feeling here is that this will be at least a competent unit, if not better. ... Mychal Kendricks is playing at a level beyond what we've seen from any Eagles linebacker in more than a decade. Not guaranteeing that will carry over into the regular season, but it's encouraging.

MERRILL REESE SAYS

"My biggest concern at this point of the preseason is still the secondary."